Global Days of Service: Volunteer Captain Guide

Thank you for your interest in serving as a Volunteer Captain for Binghamton University's Global Days of Service. Below are some tips, suggestions and guidelines to help you develop and manage your team's project. If you have questions, contact Megan Borovicka at mborovi@binghamton.edu or 607-777-6206. 

• Identifying a Project
  • Your project should fulfill an actual community need. Often, community organizations receive requests from large groups who would like to undertake a pre-imagined service project. As a result, the needs and wants of the organization are overlooked in favor of the wants and desires of the group performing the service.
  • Identify an organization with which you already have ties or which aligns with your interests (also think about a few back-up organizations in case it doesn't work out with this one). Organizing a service project takes time and energy, and the more passionate you are about the cause, the easier it will be for you to commit time and energy.
  • Once you've identified an organization you might like to work with, speak with someone there (preferably the volunteer coordinator, if there is one). Provide him or her with background information about Global Days of Service and talk through ideas, scope and logistics.
  • Determining Project Scope: The size and scope of the project is up to you and your community partner. Projects can range in size from five people sorting donations at the local clothes closet to 50 cleaning up a park. If you live in an area with many alumni, it will be easier to recruit volunteers for a large project, but small projects are just as welcome and, often, just as important.
• Topics to Discuss with Your Community Partner
  • What is the maximum and minimum number of people this project can accommodate?
  • Is this a family-friendly project? If so, what is the minimum age of children who could perform the service and/or be present at the service site?
  • Are there any other restrictions on who can perform the service (e.g., is a background check or special training required)?
  • Is there a rain date?
  • Are there costs associated with the project (e.g., paint, paintbrushes, other materials, food)?
  • Will a first-aid kit be handy? Do you need to provide one?
• Volunteer Recruitment

  Your project needs people power! This website will have a schedule of all Global Days of Service projects with a registration link for volunteers. Projects will be publicized to alumni through targeted emails and social media.

  In addition, here are some additional ways to recruit volunteers:

  • Get in touch with former roommates, classmates, affinity group members (Binghamton reunion, anyone?) and encourage them to register for your project.
  • Use social media to promote your project and the organization it will benefit. See tips under the Social Media Guidelines section of our site.
• Event-Day Logistics

  Feel free to use the Event-Day Checklist provided to help ensure things go smoothly. Make sure to allow time for the welcome and introduction.

  • Arrive early to your service site (at least half an hour) to ensure that everything (including your community partner) is ready to go.
  • If possible, set up a station to welcome your volunteers and ensure they are signed in and included in the total counts for your project.
  • When everyone has arrived, provide a welcome, spend a few minutes making introductions and providing context for the service. Better yet, ask your community partner if someone from the organization can speak for a few minutes about their mission/vision and how the project today will help them achieve it.
  • Document the day! Bring a camera or ask others to take pictures of your service project and post them to the Alumni Association's Facebook page or email them to alumni@binghamton.edu.
  • Be safe and have fun!
• Post-Event Wrap-up

  Within two days of your service project, send a thank you email to all who participated, including volunteers and your community partner.

  The alumni office would like to know how many people participated in your project and the names of the alumni involved. Please either email (preferred) or mail a list of those who participated to Megan Borovicka at mborovi@binghamton.edu or

  Office of Alumni Engagement
  Binghamton University
  PO Box 6000
  Binghamton, NY 13902-6000

  In addition, we would like to know what your experience was like and how Global Days of Service can be improved for the future. Send your feedback to Megan Borovicka at the email address above.